1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus and to a method for transporting finely powdered toner, particularly toner of a printer or copier, from a reservoir with toner to a delivery opening at a destination location for the toner, and in particular for the transport of the toner to a developer station of a printer or copier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electrophotographically working printers or copiers, toner is transported from a reservoir to a toner employment location such as, for example, to a developer station. In the known apparatus, this occurs by toner being conveyed with an under-pressure system through channels, pipes and hoses. Transport speeds of about 10 m/s which occur in such a system lead to toner contact with the walls of the channels, pipes and hoses at a high mechanical energy. The mechanical and electrostatic properties of the toner change due to this contact, which leads to a deterioration of the printing quality.
In the known printers, the tone-carrying channels, pipes and hoses are therefore arranged such that no deflection of the toner stream ensues insofar as possible because the highest mechanical stressing of the toner ensues at deflections. Since it cannot be avoided, the mechanical stressing of the toner when contacting channels, pipes and hoses proceeding on a straight line must be accepted.
In electrophotographic high-performance printers that print without interruption when changing the toner container, a buffering of the toner is required in order to offer toner during the time for a container replacement. The toner buffer required for the buffering of the toner also requires additional space in addition to the toner-carrying channels, pipes and hoses, which results in a space problem arising in the printer housing.